Tag: fighter interview

[VIDEO] So Chris Weidman’s Older Brother Sounds Like a Really Nice Guy

(Props: Bobby Razak via r/MMA.)

Chris Weidman and I have a lot in common. We’re both the second of three children, we’re both from New York…OK, so maybe we don’t have a lot in common, but as middle children, we’re both prone to feelings of neglect, isolation, and underappreciation from those closest to us.

They call it Middle Child Syndrome, and it ranks right up there with Restless Leg Syndrome on the list of completely made up afflictions. But where I was lucky enough to grow up with an older brother who would only kick my ass when I rightfully deserved it (Christmas, birthday, bar mitzvah, etc.), it seems that Weidman’s older brother was less a neglectful-yet-guiding figure in his upbringing and more a bitter, sociopathic sicko hell bent on ensuring his misery.

Listening to Weidman recount some of the more horrific beatings he endured at the hands of his brother — which included having a weight thrown at his head, being dropped from a tree and getting stomped by his brother’s friends on “Freshman Friday” — is sickening to say the least. Perhaps even sadder than the fact that many of these beatings ended in Weidman being hospitalized, however, was the following admission:

My brother definitely had a history of beating me up and abusing me. He was a badass dude…If he had your back, you didn’t have to worry about a thing…unfortunately for me, he didn’t have my back a lot growing up. I guess he didn’t like me that much, so he’d beat the crap out of me and made other people beat me up. 


(Props: Bobby Razak via r/MMA.)

Chris Weidman and I have a lot in common. We’re both the second of three children, we’re both from New York…OK, so maybe we don’t have a lot in common, but as middle children, we’re both prone to feelings of neglect, isolation, and underappreciation from those closest to us.

They call it Middle Child Syndrome, and it ranks right up there with Restless Leg Syndrome on the list of completely made up afflictions. But where I was lucky enough to grow up with an older brother who would only kick my ass when I rightfully deserved it (Christmas, birthday, bar mitzvah, etc.), it seems that Weidman’s older brother was less a neglectful-yet-guiding figure in his upbringing and more a bitter, sociopathic sicko hell bent on ensuring his misery.

Listening to Weidman recount some of the more horrific beatings he endured at the hands of his brother — which included having a weight thrown at his head, being dropped from a tree and getting stomped by his brother’s friends on “Freshman Friday” — is sickening to say the least. Perhaps even sadder than the fact that many of these beatings ended in Weidman being hospitalized, however, was the following admission:

My brother definitely had a history of beating me up and abusing me. He was a badass dude…If he had your back, you didn’t have to worry about a thing…unfortunately for me, he didn’t have my back a lot growing up. I guess he didn’t like me that much, so he’d beat the crap out of me and made other people beat me up. 

Now, I’m not going to act like it’s abnormal for brothers to quarrel, and I’m surely not about to go on some anti-bullying tirade, because quite honestly, the idea of “ending” bullying is as laughably misguided a concept as I have come across in modern society. For all the flack bullying gets for crushing the self-esteem of today’s thin-skinned, fragile youths, it also fails to get its due credit for actually forming diamonds out of coal every now and again.

Just look at Weidman, who admits in the video that the adversity he faced growing up made him who he is today: a man who is as mentally strong as he is physically. A man who fears nothing, not even a champion notorious for breaking world-renowned competitors before they could even step foot into the cage with him. Chris Weidman was baptized in fire. He crawled through a river of shit and came out clean on the other side, so to speak. If anything, he is a testament to the positive long-term effects of bullying.

But what Weidman’s older brother did to him reaches far beyond simple bullying. It violates every basic principle of what it means to be “family.” Hell, it violates every basic principle of humanity. Because while brothers are destined to physically and verbally berate one another from birth until death, they’re also supposed to have each other’s back at the end of the day. It kind of what separates family from everyone else, and to hear Weidman so casually discuss how this basic sense of trust was repeatedly violated by his own blood is as disturbing a revelation as it gets.

Of course, the question now becomes, “Has Weidman’s brother seen the err of his ways, or has his UFC champion lil’ bro been forced to do it for him?” Well…

So basically, Weidman’s brother is still a sadistic asshole, but at least he knows how to handle him now. Hooray for happy endings?

–J. Jones

All Russian People(‘s Names) Are The Same According to Rafael Dos Anjos(‘s Manager)


(All the same? Where would someone even *get* such an idea?)

Having logged over 2000 man-hours on GoldenEye for the N64, I can state with confidence that I am something of an expert on Russian culture. For those of you who have not heard of this mythical land, Russia is basically the Florida of Eurasia, a borderline uninhabitable wasteland where only the craziest, meanest, tooth-and-nailiest sonsabitches gather to grow beards and trade fisticuffs. Gaining entrance to Russia requires the exact same right of passage as The Salty Spitoon — no passport is necessary, they just ask you how tough you are and you better have the right goddamn answer.

And the people who actually choose to live there? Stoic, hard-nosed mountain men who chug despair and consume the weak all. Oh, you say you’re celebrating your birthday, 63-year old man? Fuck you, turn down the music or I break your face. These are a people who willingly eat lampreys. Lampreys, you guys.

Having spent a lot of (virtual) time in Russia, I have grown accustomed to the stereotypical light in which Russians are oft regarded by outsiders (*ahem*). So when I found out that Rafael Dos Anjos had only agreed to fight Rustam Khabilov at UFC 170 because he thought Khabilov was the UFC’s other Russian, Khabib Nurmagomedov, I was as outraged as you would imagine.

But that’s what happened, at least according to the Brazilian’s recent interview with Globo:


(All the same? Where would someone even *get* such an idea?)

Having logged over 2000 man-hours on GoldenEye for the N64, I can state with confidence that I am something of an expert on Russian culture. For those of you who have not heard of this mythical land, Russia is basically the Florida of Eurasia, a borderline uninhabitable wasteland where only the craziest, meanest, tooth-and-nailiest sonsabitches gather to grow beards and trade fisticuffs. Gaining entrance to Russia requires the exact same right of passage as The Salty Spitoon – no passport is necessary, they just ask you how tough you are and you better have the right goddamn answer.

And the people who actually choose to live there? Stoic, hard-nosed mountain men who chug despair and consume the weak all. Oh, you say you’re celebrating your birthday, 63-year old man? Fuck you, turn down the music or I break your face. These are a people who willingly eat lampreys. Lampreys, you guys.

Having spent a lot of (virtual) time in Russia, I have grown accustomed to the stereotypical light in which Russians are oft regarded by outsiders (*ahem*). So when I found out that Rafael Dos Anjos had only agreed to fight Rustam Khabilov at UFC 170 because he thought Khabilov was the UFC’s other Russian, Khabib Nurmagomedov, I was as outraged as you would imagine.

But that’s what happened, at least according to the Brazilian’s recent interview with Globo:

My manager Ed Soares, he was telling me, said. ‘The UFC gave you the Russian.’ It was a lack of communication. I thought it was the Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is seventh in the rankings. Even though he was behind me, I thought it was a fight that might make more sense, and I accepted. Only two days later in a publication tagged me on Twitter and I saw it was Rustam Khabilov. Then I saw that something was wrong and called my manager, and he said: ‘Not Khabib (Nurmagomedov).’ But, then I had already accepted the fight. It was lack of communication. He also thought it was Nurmagomedov.

So this whole thing is that shiny-headed worm Ed Soares’ fault, eh? Quick Skeeter, why don’t you tell Ed how we treat the socially ignorant ’round here. Do not. take. kindly.

We can understand that Dos Anjos might be upset to learn that he is actually facing an unranked opponent next, but at the same time, he should probably know by now that the UFC rankings don’t mean jack shit. Khabilov is one of the fiercest up-and-comers in the lightweight division, and while a win over “The Russian” might not earn Dos Anjos a title shot outright, it would surely solidify his place as a top contender in the division. Should he lose, however, I’d like to suggest that both he and Soares be forced to attend a weekly tolerance seminar to help them learn from their mistakes. RUSSIANS ARE PEOPLE TOO, DAMMIT! (just barely, but still)

–J. Jones

[EXCLUSIVE] Muhammed ‘King Mo’ Lawal Talks His Heated Rematch with Emanuel Newton, Balancing Pro-Wrestling and MMA + More


(Photo via Bellator.)

By Elias Cepeda

Bellator light heavyweight Muhammed Lawal remembers the moment when the switch flipped for him regarding Emanuel Newton. Before they fought this past February at Bellator 90, the former training partners were respectful of one another in public statements.

After Newton shocked Lawal and the world with a spinning backfist KO in the first round, however, “The Hardcore Kid” began to suggest that Lawal had simply received his comeuppance for being cocky. To Lawal, who says he made an effort to not trash talk Newton because of their mutual friend Antonio McKee, it was a criticism that came out of nowhere and it created harder feelings than simply losing had engendered.

“A friend told me that [Newton] had said I was cocky and got what I deserved in an interview and I was like, ‘what?'” Newton remembers. (Ed note: I’d like to think it was one of those extended, overly-dramatic “Say WHAAAAAAAAT?” kind of whats. I’m not even here. -Danga)

It’s not that Lawal is unaware of how he comes off when he saunters into the ring or cage wearing a crown and a cape, it’s just that he didn’t expect to be called that after a fight where he’d made a special effort to not do much trash-talking.

“I don’t know what he’s doing. Maybe he’s trying to play to the media so they can write about him, but I didn’t go into that fight cocky and I didn’t fight cocky. I know the mistake I made in that fight and it was a mistake I’d made before and was working on.”


(Photo via Bellator.)

By Elias Cepeda

Bellator light heavyweight Muhammed Lawal remembers the moment when the switch flipped for him regarding Emanuel Newton. Before they fought this past February at Bellator 90, the former training partners were respectful of one another in public statements.

After Newton shocked Lawal and the world with a spinning backfist KO in the first round, however, “The Hardcore Kid” began to suggest that Lawal had simply received his comeuppance for being cocky. To Lawal, who says he made an effort to not trash talk Newton because of their mutual friend Antonio McKee, it was a criticism that came out of nowhere and it created harder feelings than simply losing had engendered.

“A friend told me that [Newton] had said I was cocky and got what I deserved in an interview and I was like, ‘what?’” Newton remembers. (Ed note: I’d like to think it was one of those extended, overly-dramatic “Say WHAAAAAAAAT?” kind of whats. I’m not even here. -Danga)

It’s not that Lawal is unaware of how he comes off when he saunters into the ring or cage wearing a crown and a cape, it’s just that he didn’t expect to be called that after a fight where he’d made a special effort to not do much trash-talking.

“I don’t know what he’s doing. Maybe he’s trying to play to the media so they can write about him, but I didn’t go into that fight cocky and I didn’t fight cocky. I know the mistake I made in that fight and it was a mistake I’d made before and was working on,” Lawal continues.

Contrary to popular opinion, “King Mo” says that did not have his hands low as the result of an over-reliance on Mayweather-taught boxing or arrogance or any combination of the two. “Watch the whole sequence,” he maintains, “I had my hands up. But I drop them when I load up. I have to stop loading up on punches.”

As he heads into a rematch with Newton this Saturday, Lawal clearly feels that he’s improved and will be ready to avenge the loss. Mo has notched two straight knockout wins since the loss to Newton in February and on Saturday he will vie for the Bellator interim light heavyweight title.

It is interesting to consider how much any fighter can truly improve their skills when they are as busy and competing as often as Lawal has. Not only has Mo already fought four times in 2013, he’s also been balancing that with professional wrestling development work.

Pro Wrestling

When we spoke with Lawal some time ago, shortly after he had signed with both Bellator and TNA Wrestling, he was confident that he could handle simultaneous careers in the physically and emotionally demanding fields. Mo is still enthusiastic about wrestling but admits that the MMA/wrasslin’ balance is harder than he thought it would be.

“Yeah, it is,” he says.

“I feel like every time I take a step forward in my development in pro wrestling, I fall two steps backwards because I have to do a fight. Wrestling is definitely hard on the body. I remember one day we had a two hour practice led by Al Snow and then I had to go do a match that night. It is incredible how these guys do this every day and do four or more matches a week and travel. I enjoy doing it and I’m getting better. I’m good at the moves and taking bumps but there’s so much to learn about match psychology. I don’t want to just go do appearances out there, I want to be good at it and put on great matches. I’m still excited to do it it is just hard to find the time to improve the way I want to. I might take extra time after this next fight to focus on wrestling practice.”

The road back

Lawal says that it wasn’t hard for him to recover from his loss to Newton and get focus on winning again. “Not really,” he says flatly.

It wasn’t that he had been knocked out. It wasn’t that a fluke type of shot put him out. Lawal is a competitor. He’s been doing it in amateur wrestling at the highest levels since he was a kid and he knows how to get ready for a competition. Losses are not welcome but they don’t get into his head.

“A loss is always bad but it didn’t affect me psychologically,” he explains. “It just isn’t hard to get back in there and train and get ready for the next one. That’s what I did and I’m ready for this next one.”

Mo doesn’t offer any detailed or boasting predictions for his rematch with Newton but it’s clear that he feels superior to his opponent in more ways than one.

“He’s so cheesy isn’t he?” he asks, having his own answer.

“He’s corny and boring.”

And really, how can a king lose to someone like that?

Attn Joe Silva: Mike Pierce is Sick of Being Matched Up Against “Desperate Cheaters” Like Rousimar Palhares


(How could you ever forget the guy who dresses like his opponents during public appearances? Photo via Getty.)

We only briefly touched upon this, but there’s a head-scratcher of a fight going down at this weekend’s Fight Night: Shields vs. Maia event, and we’re not just talking about the main event. In the welterweight division, Rousimar Palhares will undergo a last ditch weight cut to save his career when he takes on Mike Pierce. The former has dropped two consecutive contests by way of (T)KO. The latter is currently riding a four-fight win streak with two of those wins coming by way of (T)KO. It is…an odd matchup.

This fact has not been lost on Pierce, who in a recent interview with ESPN, vented his frustrations in regards to the oft misunderstood Joe Silva and the quality of his recent opponents. He also called Palhares a desperate, cheater asshole, but we’ll get to that later:

ESPN: That kind of matchmaking starting to bother you? 

Pierce: Of course, I’m p—ed off. I want to start getting those main card fights against notable guys. Palhares has fought some tough guys. He’s got a little bit of credence to his name but I want to start working my up. This guy is coming off two losses and I’m on a 4-fight win streak. Typically, they don’t match up guys like that. 

Maybe I need to get a big pitcher of beer for Joe and sit down and hash this out. No, it’s just one of those things where I have to keep doing what I’m doing until they can’t ignore me anymore. 


(How could you ever forget the guy who dresses like his opponents during public appearances? Photo via Getty.)

We only briefly touched upon this, but there’s a head-scratcher of a fight going down at this weekend’s Fight Night: Shields vs. Maia event, and we’re not just talking about the main event. In the welterweight division, Rousimar Palhares will undergo a last ditch weight cut to save his career when he takes on Mike Pierce. The former has dropped two consecutive contests by way of (T)KO. The latter is currently riding a four-fight win streak with two of those wins coming by way of (T)KO. It is…an odd matchup.

This fact has not been lost on Pierce, who in a recent interview with ESPN, vented his frustrations in regards to the oft misunderstood Joe Silva and the quality of his recent opponents. He also called Palhares a desperate, cheater asshole, but we’ll get to that later:

ESPN: That kind of matchmaking starting to bother you? 

Pierce: Of course, I’m p—ed off. I want to start getting those main card fights against notable guys. Palhares has fought some tough guys. He’s got a little bit of credence to his name but I want to start working my up. This guy is coming off two losses and I’m on a 4-fight win streak. Typically, they don’t match up guys like that. 

Maybe I need to get a big pitcher of beer for Joe and sit down and hash this out. No, it’s just one of those things where I have to keep doing what I’m doing until they can’t ignore me anymore. 

Pierce raises an interesting point here — one that was touched upon by Ben Fowlkes in the aftermath of Yushin Okami’s firing. In fact, Pierce and Okami probably have more in common than you would originally expect. Both are upper level guys who were just never able to reach that final level of excellence (Pierce more so than Okami, who did get one title challenge under his belt). Both are grinders, known more for their ability to impose their will on their opponents than to finish them impressively (Okami more so than Pierce, who again, has finished 2 of his last 4 opponents).

Unfortunately, there comes a time in a fighter’s career where those facts begin to work against them. As Silva stated when the UFC decided to release Okami, “Nobody new can come in until somebody old goes. If you’re tired of seeing rematches, then you’ve got to clear space and bring in new people.” Pierce has been slugging his way through the UFC’s welterweight division since 2009, but yet he still carries the same “underrated” and “overlooked” tags with him wherever he goes.

Suffice it to say, the next time opportunity knocks on Pierce’s door, he better kick it off the goddamned hinges because it may never come again.

And as for his next opponent? Pierce has less than positive things to say as well:

ESPN: What are your thoughts on Palhares’ style? He has a history of going real deep on submission attempts in the Octagon. 

Pierce: Well yeah, there was that one clear, obvious one where he held it when the referee told him to let go and he got fined by a commission (UFC 111). Then recently, he tested positive for elevated testosterone levels (UFC on FX 6), so this guy is definitely a cheat. There’s no surprise. He’ll do anything to win because he’s either desperate or an (a——). I’m not too concerned about that. I come in expecting he’s going to be mean, try to be a bully, try to cheat — I have to deal with it.  

Well…the man has a point is all we’re saying.

–J. Jones

[EXCLUSIVE] Clay Guida: The Talent of Hard Work

Clay Guida UFC
(Photo via, you guessed it, Heavy.com)

By Elias Cepeda

Whether or not he’ll admit it, Clay Guida hates being an underdog. It isn’t that the featherweight doesn’t enjoy proving people wrong – he does.

It’s the underestimation that bothers him. Most of his UFC wins have come over opponents who were favored over him before he broke them down and beat them. Even before his UFC career began back in 2006, Guida’s opponents were regularly favored over him.

The assumption that he is an “over-achiever” that has to defy our low expectations just to win smacks Guida like a backhanded compliment time and time again. He’s too polite to get visibly angry when the term has been brought up but in the past, but he’s made it clear to this writer that he doesn’t think of himself in that way. After about a decade of “over-achieving,” Clay would prefer if we simply started referring to him as the elite MMA fighter he truly is. On Saturday, Guida will once again be considered the underdog when he fights former featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes.

Like Guida, Mendes is a wrestler, but he is a more decorated amateur one. Like Guida, Mendes is happy to go wild and throw strikes on the feet, but the Californian has been putting people out with his shots. Both men are obviously in the same weight class, but Mendes would appear to be the more physically imposing, stronger fighter.

Mendes’ only career loss was a shocking one to division champion Jose Aldo. Since that fight, Mendes has won three straight fights by knockout. At some point, in some way, every successful fighter must be a giant in his or her own mind. And in his mind, Guida is the clear favorite in his UFC 164 match up with Mendes.

“Chad is a great wrestler,” Clay admits to me one afternoon a month ago from his New Mexico training camp.

“But we are going to show him what Midwest wrestling is all about. It is a whole different beast. It is just scraping, driving non-stop, relentless and winning scrambles.”

By Elias Cepeda

Whether or not he’ll admit it, Clay Guida hates being an underdog. It isn’t that the featherweight doesn’t enjoy proving people wrong – he does.

It’s the underestimation that bothers him. Most of his UFC wins have come over opponents who were favored over him before he broke them down and beat them. Even before his UFC career began back in 2006, Guida’s opponents were regularly favored over him.

The assumption that he is an “over-achiever” that has to defy our low expectations just to win smacks Guida like a backhanded compliment time and time again. He’s too polite to get visibly angry when the term has been brought up but in the past, but he’s made it clear to this writer that he doesn’t think of himself in that way. After about a decade of “over-achieving,” Clay would prefer if we simply started referring to him as the elite MMA fighter he truly is. On Saturday, Guida will once again be considered the underdog when he fights former featherweight title challenger Chad Mendes.

Like Guida, Mendes is a wrestler, but he is a more decorated amateur one. Like Guida, Mendes is happy to go wild and throw strikes on the feet, but the Californian has been putting people out with his shots. Both men are obviously in the same weight class, but Mendes would appear to be the more physically imposing, stronger fighter.

Mendes’ only career loss was a shocking one to division champion Jose Aldo. Since that fight, Mendes has won three straight fights by knockout. At some point, in some way, every successful fighter must be a giant in his or her own mind. And in his mind, Guida is the clear favorite in his UFC 164 match up with Mendes.

“Chad is a great wrestler,” Clay admits to me one afternoon a month ago from his New Mexico training camp.

“But we are going to show him what Midwest wrestling is all about. It is a whole different beast. It is just scraping, driving non-stop, relentless and winning scrambles.”

As for Mendes’ new found punching power and impressive streak of recent knockouts? Guida gives credit to Chad, whom he counts as a friend, but isn’t as impressed with Mendes’ recent opponents.

“Lately he has shown power but we are going to show him what it is like to fight a top fighter,” the Team Jackson/Winkeljohn stable member says.

Toughness. Toughness to grit out tiring scrambles on the mat, toughness to withstand shots on the feet and the toughness to stand up and fight effectively against the best  – the Gray Maynards, Benson Hendersons and Nate Diazs of the world.

When it comes down to it, Guida’s confidence always seems to stem directly from the idea that he is simply tougher than his opponent and gone through tougher tests. That he was tougher in the training room, went to lengths that his opponent would not and so that, even though on paper his foe might hold multiple advantages, come game time, “The Carpenter” will out work and beat him.

Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said that “Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.” There’s little doubt that Guida would agree with the Bulldog there.

Pundits are always talking about the talents of his opponents and Guida’s workman-like effort, as if a commitment to the latter couldn’t be an example of the former. Guida will fight in what will likely essentially be a hometown crowd in Milwaukee this Saturday at UFC 164, which has only motivated him all the more.

The leader of the “Guida Mafia” says he can’t wait to fight in front of his friends and family as he did last January in Chicago’s United Center. In his mind, Guida is the heavy favorite over Mendes and he’s sure to put forward a winning effort for his fans.

“I can’t wait. This is a great opportunity for me to climb the ladder. That’s the only reason I’m here – to win the featherweight championship,” he says.

The ability to push oneself mentally and physically, the ability to outwork everyone in the gym and cage, is a talent to Clay Guida. When it comes down to it, it is the only talent that he respects.

So, despite being a perpetual underdog to the rest of the world, in his mind, Guida is the most talented fighter in the world. And with talent like that, it is little wonder that he believes he’ll eventually become the best fighter in his division.

[EXCLUSIVE] Cole Miller Reflects on Strange Fight With Manny Gamburyan at ‘Fight Night 26?


(Photo via Getty Images.)

By Elias Cepeda

Cole Miller was confused. Near the end of the first round of his UFC Fight Night 26 featherweight fight against Manny Gamburyan this past Saturday, “The Anvil” was working for a double leg takedown against the cage on Miller when Cole defended and hit him with two elbows before the horn.

The elbows were ruled legal and they hurt Gamburyan. Bad.

So much so that the former title challenger slumped down to his knees in an apparent daze and could not immediately stand up and walk to his own corner. In fact, he was on his knees in Miller’s corner.

“I didn’t really get it,” Cole told CagePotato on Sunday. “I looked at [referee ] Yves Lavigne, he was looking at Manny. I was unsure if the fight was over or if time had expired. I was looking for the ref to give us an idea of whether there was finality in the fight, or if it was an illegal blow. Later, Yves told me was a legal blow and so does the video. But at the time, if it was illegal I was looking for him to say so, take a point, give me a warning, call the fight or something. It was a confusing situation. Yves told me to go to my corner but I told him, ‘I am in my corner.’ The way Manny was there on the ground in my corner, I couldn’t raise my hands, walk away and go to my corner or anything. They actually moved me and my corner to another area while he stayed there on the ground. Yves was pointing to a direction for me to go. I was thinking, ‘I’m in my corner. Someone needs to take him to his corner.’ Over a minute and twenty passed before they had the doctor even look at him.”

The break between rounds for fighters is a minute long. If a fighter cannot answer the start of the next round, they lose, normally. Examples of this have been seen throughout MMA, kickboxing and boxing history.

If you’re so beat up that you can’t answer the next round’s bell, you’re done. You’ve lost.


(Photo via Getty Images.)

By Elias Cepeda

Cole Miller was confused. Near the end of the first round of his UFC Fight Night 26 featherweight fight against Manny Gamburyan this past Saturday, “The Anvil” was working for a double leg takedown against the cage on Miller when Cole defended and hit him with two elbows before the horn.

The elbows were ruled legal and they hurt Gamburyan. Bad.

So much so that the former title challenger slumped down to his knees in an apparent daze and could not immediately stand up and walk to his own corner. In fact, he was on his knees in Miller’s corner.

“I didn’t really get it,” Cole told CagePotato on Sunday. “I looked at [referee ] Yves Lavigne, he was looking at Manny. I was unsure if the fight was over or if time had expired. I was looking for the ref to give us an idea of whether there was finality in the fight, or if it was an illegal blow. Later, Yves told me was a legal blow and so does the video. But at the time, if it was illegal I was looking for him to say so, take a point, give me a warning, call the fight or something. It was a confusing situation. Yves told me to go to my corner but I told him, ‘I am in my corner.’ The way Manny was there on the ground in my corner, I couldn’t raise my hands, walk away and go to my corner or anything. They actually moved me and my corner to another area while he stayed there on the ground. Yves was pointing to a direction for me to go. I was thinking, ‘I’m in my corner. Someone needs to take him to his corner.’ Over a minute and twenty passed before they had the doctor even look at him.”

The break between rounds for fighters is a minute long. If a fighter cannot answer the start of the next round, they lose, normally. Examples of this have been seen throughout MMA, kickboxing and boxing history.

If you’re so beat up that you can’t answer the next round’s bell, you’re done. You’ve lost.

Gamburyan, of course, didn’t lose the fight. He was given far more time to recover than he was supposed to be allowed, and then he continued on for two more rounds. After three rounds, he was declared the winner by the judges, presumably on the basis of his repeated leg kicks, take downs and ground control.

In a post fight interview with MMA Fighting, Gamburyan acknowledged that “maybe” the fight should have been stopped after the first round, though he disagrees with Miller that the strikes were legal. UFC President Dana White said that he scored the fight for Miller, who left Gamburyan’s face a cut, bloodied and swollen mess, but said that Cole essentially sabotaged himself by sticking around Manny after the first round and appearing to check on his condition. White told reporters after the event that Miller should have just gone to his corner.

“I was in my corner.” the irritated ATT fighter emphasizes. “I was in my corner. Where was I supposed to go? I hit him with legal blows and he couldn’t continue and couldn’t go to his corner. I was kind of propping him up so he wouldn’t fall on my leg. I couldn’t walk off to get instruction, we were already there in my corner.”

That confusion and officiating mishandling aside, Miller feels that he won the fight a second time, or deserved to. “I don’t really know how they score things in Massachusetts,” he says.

“I don’t know if they score things differently for MMA or what. The effective grappling part definitely went to Manny because of his takedowns. I wasn’t able to do anything about that, he had all takedowns but I had all the striking and did all the damage. I cut him twice. He’s a tough dude, to his credit. He earned every bit of it. I hit him with knees, punches and kicks so hats off to him. I just think they made the wrong call. I was trying to finish my opponent the whole fight.”

Cole and Manny were friendly before the fight, knowing one another since they spent six weeks training together on the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter on Jens Pulver’s team. With such a bitter taste in his mouth about this fight Cole insists that he still doesn’t harbor any negative feelings against Gamburyan.

“Manny didn’t do anything wrong. He fought the way he knows how and I fought the way I know how,” he says.

“He didn’t get the judges to call his name. He’s good and he fought well. I was just throwing those knees to take his head off. I’m not going to bug him for getting the decision.”

Cole says he doesn’t count this fight as a loss and, although he’d be willing to rematch Gamburyan, he isn’t calling for a re-do. “I’ve never wanted a rematch with anybody,” Cole maintains.

“A fight is a fight. If the UFC wants to make that happen, I’ll rematch anybody. But, I don’t want a rematch. For what? I fought the kind of fight I fight and he fought the way he fights. The judges made the wrong call, that’s it. There is no need for a rematch.”